UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson odds, predictions: MMA insider releases surprising fight card picks

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Michelle Waterson has appeared on reality television programs and already received strong reviews as a studio analyst for mixed martial arts. Even so, the ninth-ranked strawweight insists she is a fighter first, and that’s why she accepted a short-notice main event on Saturday against sixth-rated Marina Rodriguez at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson. Their battle closes the curtain on the MMA showcase from the Apex facility in Las Vegas. The main UFC fight card is set for 8 p.m. ET. Waterson might be better known for her pursuits outside of the Octagon, but she can change that with an upset victory in her third main-event appearance.

Rodriguez is a -200 favorite (risk $200 to win $100), while Waterson is a +175 underdog in the latest Rodriguez vs. Waterson odds from William Hill Sportsbook. In the co-main event, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is the -125 favorite against prospect Alex Morono (+105) in a welterweight battle. Before making any UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions from SportsLine insider Ian Parker.

A former fighter who’s been in the industry for 15 years, Parker has managed some of the world’s best, including former UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman, Costas Philippou and Gian Villante. Parker trained alongside UFC Hall of Famer Matt Serra. Now, Parker breaks down fights and makes betting picks for the Voice of the UFC, Jon Anik.

Parker is coming off a mind-boggling 2020 season. On the Anik & Florian Podcast, Parker went an astounding 58-14, returning $9,465 to $100 bettors who followed him. He hit 11 of his 17 underdog picks and 19 of 30 main events. Overall, Parker nailed an astonishing 81 percent of his plays.

Parker has already proven his mettle to SportsLine members. Last week at UFC Fight Night, he posted a 7-1 record to give $100 bettors a profit of more than $600. His winning MMA picks included calling a dominant performance for Giga Chikadze (-190) against Cub Swanson (+170) in the featherweight co-main event. Chikadze scored a first-round stoppage to provide an easy winner. Moreover, Parker is 8-1 on Bellator picks since joining SportsLine for a profit of nearly $800. Anyone who has followed Parker already has seen massive returns.

Now, with UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson fast approaching, Parker has studied the MMA odds and matchups from every angle and released his top selections. A successful parlay of those selections would result in a payday of around 15-1. Those UFC picks are available here.

UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson preview

Parker knows the main event will provide clarity in a division that is bound to see plenty of movement. Rose Namajunas recently recaptured the crown with her stunning first-round knockout of Zhang Weili two weeks ago at UFC 261.

UFC president Dana White has indicated that a rematch between Namajunas and Weili is likely the division’s next title fight, but in the meantime, there are a handful of contenders vying for position in the top 10.

Rodriguez and Waterson are among them, though the favored Brazilian would appear to have an edge in leverage. This is largely because of her upset of Ribas, who had widely been considered the division’s fastest-rising prospect. Ribas had won all four of UFC appearances handily, but faced with an upgrade in competition, was outclassed by Rodriguez.

The outcome caused a flip-flop in the UFC rankings, as Ribas dropped to No. 11, while Rodriguez (13-1-2) climbed to the doorstep of the top five. She will likely join that elite company should she get past Waterson, who has designs of her own for joining the title mix.

A five-year UFC veteran, Waterson (18-8) has been a perennial contender but has yet to notch a signature victory. She has struggled against upper-tier competition, with losses coming against Namajunas and former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, who is now ranked second. Before edging past Hill, she was on the wrong side of a split decision against fourth-ranked Carla Esparza. You can only see who to back here.

UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson predictions

We’ll give away one of Parker’s UFC Fight Night picks here: He is backing Amanda Ribas (-165) to get her hand raised against Angela Hill (+145) in a battle of women’s strawweight contenders.

The winner of this fight will have a keen interest in the outcome of the main event, as there is a chance both winners could soon be matched up in the crowded division.

Hill (13-9) is a four-year UFC veteran who has a reputation for taking on any opponent offered by UFC brass and appears to be on an upward trajectory of performance improvement, even at age 36. The ultra-popular fighter lost a split decision to Waterson last September before rebounding with a win against fellow veteran Ashley Yoder in January.

Ribas (10-2) similarly has a connection to the main event since her upset loss to Rodriguez in January halted her four-fight winning streak in the UFC. The 27-year-old Brazilian is a former champion in the Jungle Fight promotion.

“The difference will be the Judo and ground game of Ribas. As long as she doesn’t let this fight turn into a slugfest with Hill and gets this fight to the ground, this should be hers to win,” Parker told SportsLine.

How to make UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Waterson picks

Parker also has strong picks for Waterson vs. Rodriguez and other fights on the UFC fight card. He’s backing a fighter with “unlimited cardio” who is set to deliver an emphatic victory. Those selections are only available at SportsLine.

Who wins Waterson vs. Rodriguez? And which fighter is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed UFC Fight Night picks, all from the ultimate insider who was up nearly $9,500 on MMA picks last year, and find out.